1977
This is a list of various things that took place in 1977. Significant events January :* 17 - Howard Finkel makes his debut as ring announcer at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Initially alternating with Jack Lee, Finkel will become MSG's only ring announcer by the fall of 1977 and will eventually become the most prolific ring announcer for the WWWF (later WWF and still later, WWE) February :* 14 - Jerry Jarrett resigns from Gulas-Welch Enterprises, the parent company of the NWA Mid-America territory, in a dispute with promoter Nick Gulas over poor payouts and the elder Gulas' insistence on pushing his son, announcer-turned-wrestler George Gulas, as a main eventer despite George's lack of wrestling skills. Jarrett subsequently founds the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis, Tennessee after he and Jerry Lawler left NWA Mid-America, taking that promotion's versions of the NWA Southern Heavyweight and Southern Tag Team Championships with them. The CWA became a National Wrestling Alliance affiliate upon its formation and shortly afterward made the Mid-South Coliseum its home base, where its Monday night cards regularly drew capacity crowds that continued into the early USWA era March :* 19 - The CWA's Championship Wrestling program debuts on WMC-TV in Memphis :* 20 - The CWA holds its first arena card at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, headlined by Jerry Lawler battling Bob Armstrong in the main event September :* 17 - The first WWWF-promoted wrestling card from the Philadelphia Spectrum is aired on Philadelphia's PRISM (Philadelphia Regional In-Home Sports and Movies) premium cable channel. Vince McMahon Jr. would be joined by Philadelphia-area sports announcer Dick Graham on commentary. The first main event saw Bruno Sammartino defeat WWWF Champion Superstar Billy Graham by the blood rule. PRISM would continue to air WWWF (and later WWF) events through early 1989 Births January :*1 - Robert Roode (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada) :*8 - Danny Inferno (Lodi, New Jersey, USA) February :*5 - Conrad Kennedy (Greenwich, Connecticut, USA) :*20 - Greg Bownds (Sydney, Australia) :*20 - Gail Kim (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) :*27 – Lance Hoyt (Hearne, Texas, USA) March :*9 - Averno (Mexico City, Mexico) :*23 - Alan Stone (Mexico City, Mexico) :*26 - Sylvain Grenier (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) :*31 - Allison Danger (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) April :*1 - Amy Crawford (Nitro Girl) (Atlanta, Georgia, USA) :*23 – John Cena (West Newbury, Massachusetts, USA) :*29 - Thaddeus Bullard (Boynton Beach, Florida, USA) :*30 - Sherman Tank (Canton, Ohio, USA) May :*18 - Danshoku Dino :*22 - Alastair Ralphs (Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, Canada) :*23 - Alan Stone (Mexico City, Mexico) :*25 - Alberto Del Rio (San Luis Potosi, Mexico) June :*2 - A.J. Styles (Gainesville, Georgia) :*9 - Billy Boy (Tetitlán, Guerrero, Mexico) :*11 - Cancerbero (Mexico City, Mexico) :*26 - Mark Jindrak (Auburn Hills, New York) :*29 - Deanna Conda (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) July :*3 - Angela (Baltimore, Maryland, USA) :*12 – Brock Lesnar (Webster, South Dakota, USA) :*17 - Papadon (Brooklyn, New York, USA) :*18 - Dallas Murdock (Austin, Texas, USA) August :*4 – Frankie Kazarian (Palm Springs, California, USA) :*19 - Oscar Omar Puentes Molgado :*20 - Antonio Mestre (Honolulu, Hawaii, USA) :*31 - Jeff Hardy (Cameron, North Carolina, USA) September :*25 - Atsushi Aoki (Ota, Tokyo, Japan) October :* November :* December :*14 - Brain Damage :*15 - CIMA (Osaka, Japan) :*15 - Elix Skipper (Long Island, New York, USA) :*26 - Animaniac Deaths March :*6 - Bibber McCoy (70) (Unknown) :*15 - Antonino Rocca (49) (Unknown) :*18 - Howard Cantonwine (75) (Unknown) July :*29 - Bull Ortega (42) (Unknown) September :*27 - Roy Welch (74) Debuts May :* - Michael Hayes August :*10 - Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) September :* - Jim Duggan October :*23 - Allen Coage (Bad News Brown) Events Title changes January :*3 - Bruiser Brody wins the NWA American Heavyweight Championship from Fritz Von Erich in Atlanta, Georgia :*8 - Gino Hernandez wins the Detroit version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship from Don Kent in Detroit, Michigan :*10 - Gene Kiniski wins the NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship from Don Leo Jonathan in Vancouver, British Columbia :*17 - Don Leo Jonathan and Dutch Savage win the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship from John Quinn and Kurt Von Hess in Vancouver :*19 - Greg Valentine wins the NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship from Rufus R. Jones in Raleigh, North Carolina February :*6 - Harley Race wins the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Terry Funk in Toronto, Ontario; Bobo Brazil wins the Toronto version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship from The Sheik in Toronto :*15 - Rufus R. Jones regains the NWA Mid-Atlantic TV title from Greg Valentine in Raleigh :*27 - The Sheik regains the NWA Toronto United States title from Bobo Brazil in Toronto March :*3 - John Anson and Ski-Hi Morse win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Don Leo Jonathan and Dutch Savage in Vancouver :*5 - Dick the Bruiser wins the WWA World Heavyweight Championship from The Masked Stranger in Indianapolis, Indiana :*13 - Jimmy Snuka wins the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (opponent unknown) :*14 - Guy Mitchell wins the NWA Pacific Coast title from Gene Kiniski in Vancouver :*17 - Killer Brooks wins the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship from Larry Lane April :* The NWA Canadian Tag Team title, last held by John Anson and Ski-Hi Morse, is vacated :*2 - The Sheik wins the NWA Detroit United States title from Gino Hernandez in Detroit :*4 - Ric Flair wins the NWA Mid-Atlantic TV title from Rufus R. Jones in Greenville, South Carolina :*12 - Fritz Von Erich regains the NWA American title from Bruiser Brody in Dallas, Texas :*13 - Bruiser Brody regains the NWA American title from Fritz Von Erich in Dallas :*15 - Paul Jones wins the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship from Dick Slater in Atlanta :*23 - Ron Bass wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Jimmy Snuka in Portland, Oregon :*30 - Superstar Billy Graham wins the WWWF Heavyweight Championship from Bruno Sammartino in Baltimore, Maryland; the WWA World title is held up following a match between champion Dick the Bruiser and Ivan Koloff May :*2 - Joe Palardy and The Texas Outlaw defeat Eddie and Jerry Morrow in a tournament final in Vancouver to win the vacant NWA Canadian Tag Team title :*8 - The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene and Ole Anderson) win the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship from Ric Flair and Greg Valentine in Charlotte, North Carolina June :*4 - Dick Slater regains the NWA Georgia title from Paul Jones in Atlanta :*11 - Greg Valentine wins the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship from Wahoo McDaniel in Greensboro, North Carolina :*18 - Ivan Koloff defeats Dick the Bruiser to win the held-up WWA World title in Indianapolis :*15 - Rick Steamboat wins the NWA Mid-Atlantic TV title from Ric Flair in Raleigh :*27 - Iron Mike Sharpe wins the NWA Pacific Coast title from Guy Mitchell in Vancouver July :* The NWA Toronto United States title, last held by The Sheik, is retired when Sheik leaves Maple Leaf Wrestling (the Mid-Atlantic version of the title would later be recognized in Toronto beginning in May 1978) :*7 - Bobo Brazil wins the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship from Blackjack Mulligan in Norfolk, Virginia; The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) win the AWA World Tag Team Championship from Bobby Duncum and Blackjack Lanza in Winnipeg, Manitoba :*11 - Eddie and Jerry Morrow win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Joe Palardy and The Texas Outlaw in Vancouver :*22 - Dan Kroffat wins the Stampede North American title from Killer Brooks in Calgary, Alberta :*25 - Captain USA wins the NWA American title from Bruiser Brody in Fort Worth, Texas :*29 - Ric Flair wins the NWA Mid-Atlantic United States title from Bobo Brazil in Richmond, Virginia August :* The WWWF Tag Team Championship, last held by Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf, is vacated when White Wolf had his neck injured by Ken Patera's Swinging Full Nelson during a match against Patera :*1 - Dutch Savage wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Ron Bass in Eugene, Oregon :*9 - Wahoo McDaniel regains the NWA Mid-Atlantic title from Greg Valentine in Raleigh :*12 - Dick Slater wins the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship from Jack Brisco in St. Louis, Missouri :*15 - Lou Thesz is recognized by Mexican promotion the Universal Wrestling Association as the first UWA World Heavyweight Champion :*22 - Mr. X (Guy Mitchell wearing a mask) wins the NWA Pacific Coast title from Iron Mike Sharpe in Vancouver; The Black Avenger and The Texas Outlaw win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Eddie and Gerry Morrow in Vancouver :*29 - Eric Froelich and Guy Mitchell win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from The Black Avenger and The Texas Outlaw in Vancouver September :* Ox Baker wins the NWA Detroit United States title from The Sheik in Detroit :*2 - The Stampede North American title is vacated when previous champion Dan Kroffat retires :*7 - Greg Valentine regains the NWA Mid-Atlantic title from Wahoo McDaniel in Raleigh (aired on tape-delay on Wide World Wrestling) :*23 - Dusty Rhodes and Dick Slater win the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team title from the Minnesota Wrecking Crew in Atlanta :*27 - Mr. Fuji and Prof. Toru Tanaka win the vacant WWWF Tag Team title in a tournament final over Tony Garea and Larry Zbyszko in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania :*30 - Ox Baker wins the NWA American title from Captain USA in Houston, Texas October :*3 - The Black Avenger and Iron Mike Sharpe win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Eric Froelich and Guy Mitchell in Vancouver :*7 - Don Gagne wins the vacant Stampede North American title in a tournament final over Bobby Burke in Calgary :*12 - Baron Von Raschke wins the NWA Mid-Atlantic TV title from Rick Steamboat in Raleigh (during Von Raschke's reign, the title was renamed as the NWA Television Championship) :*14 - The Minnesota Wrecking Crew regain the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team title from Dusty Rhodes and Dick Slater in Atlanta :*21 - Rick Steamboat wins the NWA Mid-Atlantic United States title from Ric Flair in Charleston, South Carolina :*30 - Ric Flair and Greg Valentine regain the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team title from the Minnesota Wrecking Crew in Greensboro November :*12 - The WWA World title is held up following a match between champion Ivan Koloff and Dick the Bruiser; Ed Wiskoski wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Dutch Savage in Portland :*16 - Stan Hansen wins the NWA Georgia title from Dick Slater in Columbus, Georgia December :*12 - Fritz Von Erich wins the NWA American title from Ox Baker in Fort Worth; Don Wayt wins the NWA Pacific Coast title from Mr. X in Vancouver :*21 - Gama Singh and Igor Volkoff win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from The Black Avenger and Iron Mike Sharpe in Vancouver :*26 - Dick the Bruiser regains the held-up WWA World title by defeating Ivan Koloff in Indianapolis See also Category:Wrestling Years